Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-02-10
How Kid Gloves are Made.

How Kid Gloves are maue.
Millions of kid gloves are demanded
by the inhabitants of every large
country, while only few goats, COM
pratively, are raised in the world, and
OF these a large number must be sept
until full grown for breeding purposes.
The demand for gloves is much greater
than the supply Of genuine skins, and
n substitute is found in the lambskin.
which makes an excellent grade OF
glove and is easily palmed off for Kid.
Genuine kid gloves can be obtained at
q high price, says tho New York Tn
bune, but thousands of people who
think they are wearing kid have only
the skin of the innocent lamb.
The lambskins, being selected with
great care, are taken to the factory and
put in large tanks, partly filled with
the yolks of eggs and other soft, sticky
materials. Here they are subjected to
thorough pounding with a heavy
stick, padded, so as not to injure the
skins In some factories men with bare
feet tread on them. The object of all
this is to "nourish" the skin and make
it strong and "healthy." The skins
are kept in these tanks for longer or
shorter period, according to the judg-
ment of the superintendent If allowed
to remain too long they become too well
nourished and decay. After the nourish-
ing comes the work of cleaning. The
skins are worked in tubs of fresh water
and washed thoroughly until all traces
of foreign substance are removed from
| Al. TNhnxy haanpnn Snft and
in color dull white. They are laid on
smooth stone slab with the rough
side down and pressed and stretched
until every wrinkle has been smoothed
, out.
) The skins, being wet, remain in this
stretched state and are then dyed. The
; dye is laid on with brush, and the
: shade is always darker than the one
/ desired, for the dripping and after treat
q ment Tighten it at least one-quarter.
The greatest care is taken to prevent
!, any spots of dye from getting on the
i inside of the skin, spot being q serious
e defect in u high-priced glove. After
] the skins have been allowed to drip for
e several hours they are taken to the dry
n ing-room, the air of which is kept at
:, high temperature, usually by steam
" heat. 1t does not take long for the
skins to dry out hard, stiff and rough.
e Before they can be used they are made
Q soft and pliable again by lying for sew
= eral days in damp sawdust. Then they
are placed on u machine worked by a
Il screw and by continuous and gentle
pressure stretched to the utmost If
= there are any holes, rough spots, or
n cracks in the skin it is thrown away, or
should be. Not all of the glove-makers
1t are honest. and the blemishes are often
- covered up. This accounts for the sud-
II den giving-out of many gloves
- The delicate part of glove-making is
the cutting, as the least variation in the
10 lines will destroy the symmetry of the
9r glove and make the fit imperfect Tc
get the parts to fit as we'll as possible
,,' patterns are used for each size; but even
with these mistakes are often made. In
49, first-class factories where the skin is no
" properly cut it is thrown away or Gu
VI up into gussets. Every skin is studied
Y bv the cutter, so as to make the great
IT, est number of gloves from it with th'
least waste, and it is so graded that th'
he largest SIZES are LlSt lhalh0u ouL eh'
the rest is used for children's gloves
Modern invention has enabled the cut
- ter. when blocking out the glove, t.
p. make little holes in the skin for stitches
en- This insures perfect regularity and uni
it. formity of stitching, which are OF grea
if Importance. If the stitch is too tigh
an uneven pressure is put on the skin
ho which makes it break easily, and if to
n0 loose it leaves bag in the glove
d. Linen and silk thread are used and til
lat stitching is done by women who al
fairly well paid, When the gloves al
his made they are thoroughly inspected
and, if accepted. are tied in bundle
,id ready for the market.
aat wv Why French gloves should take IL
n"O lead is hard to tell. The same materia
'ng are used as in other countries and Il
lr- workmcn are not over expert; but tt
IT. French glove cxcels in elasticity ar
our "gives" when pressure is put on it
ain the hand without getting out Of shap
This country takes the lea'i in dogskl
~, buckskin, and doeskin gloves. The
eSS names are misleading, since all t
gives are made Of sheepskin. There
ght money in the business as we'll rs hui
esv bug, and capital invested in we
md managed factory will bring lar
return.